


Order Up

by shiningdragonair



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Restaurant, Chefs, Drabble, Food Critic, M/M, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-16 18:03:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4634949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiningdragonair/pseuds/shiningdragonair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A quick one-shot with Eren and co. as chefs in a restaurant when food critic Levi stops in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Order Up

“Dammit, Jean, where’s the sauce for table 14′s order?” Eren shouted over his shoulder as he manned four different skillets, sizzling away with various vegetables and meats. 

“I’m working on it!” Jean hissed through gritted teeth. 

“That order needed to go out 5 minutes ago, it’s gonna get cold!” 

Armin burst into the kitchen. “Table 14 is getting antsy. Is the order  _ready_ yet?” 

Eren removed the pans from the burners and hastily began to plate four separate dishes. “It  _would_  be if our damn saucier would move his ass!” 

“Excuse  _you,_ Jaeger. It’s not  _my_  fault that our two other cooks just walked out on us because of  _your_  shitty attitude.”

“ _Fuck_  you, Jean!” 

“ _GUYS,”_ Mikasa bellowed over the sautéing, boiling, and clattering of dishes and pots. “FOCUS. Dinner rush is hard enough without the two of you _bitching about EVERYTHING.”_

 _“Table 14?!”_ Armin shouted over everything. 

“Here, here,” Jean scurried over and poured a deep red sauce over thick slices of beef tenderloin. “Go. Take it.” Armin swept the plate off of the table and onto his tray before disappearing into the dining room. 

“What the hell took you so long with that?” Eren snapped as he finished off his four plates, placing them under the heat lamps, waiting for final garnishes. He began to julienne carrots for the next order. 

“It doesn’t matter,” Mikasa interrupted, dropping her pot off at the sink for the dishwashers. “Both of you need to relax. Eren, c’mere.” She pulled Eren aside. “You need to chill out.”

Eren sighed and took his chef’s hat off, wiping sweat from his forehead. “It’s my fault they quit, huh?” 

“No, it’s not.” Mikasa reassured. Eren looked at her with his brow raised as high as it could go. “Okay, maybe a little. But as the sous-chef you have a responsibility to manage the people _,_  make sure great food is going out, and - ”

Armin burst back into the kitchen. “Table 14 wants to see the chef.”

“ - and deal with that when the exec is out. I’ll finish your dishes. Have fun.”

She swung back to her station as Eren wrung his hat between his hands. He’d only gone out once before and got yelled back into the kitchen because he mouthed off to the customer.  _Breathe, smile, stay calm._  His heart pounded against his ribcage as he put the hat back on and pushed through the double doors to the dimly lit dining room. The calamity of the kitchen was replaced with excited murmurs and clinking wine glasses. He looked over to Table 14 and saw a lone diner with his back towards the kitchen. Eren rolled his shoulders back and straightened his back before continuing the walk over to the wild card that was Table 14. 

“G-Good evening, sir. How may I be of service?”

The man looked up at Eren and rested his hand on a clenched fist, elbow on the table. The plate was half-eaten. Next to it was a pad with notes scribbled on it. It was too dark to make out what was written.  _Wait a minute…_

“You’re the chef?” His voice dripped with sass rooted in disbelief. 

“Y-Yes, well, the, um, the exec is, I mean, the executive chef is-is out, but,” Eren gulped as he tried to get his thoughts together. “I’m sorry, are you a critic?”

“Are. You. The chef?”

“Tonight, yes. The executive chef is out, and I’m the sous-chef.” 

“What’s your name?”

Eren swallowed hard again. “Eren Jaeger.” He realized that his nails were digging into his palms. The man jotted something on his pad. 

“To answer your question, yes. I’m a food critic. Levi Ackerman.”  _Shit_. Levi extended his hand. As he shook it, Eren looked back at the kitchen and saw the faces of his kitchen staff pressed up against the circular windows.

“Is your meal to your liking?” 

Levi motioned to the empty seat opposite him. “That’s what I want to talk to you about.” 

“With all due respect, Mr. Ackerman - ”

“Levi. Please.” He interrupted with a half-smirk forming on his lips. 

“Okay. With all due respect, Levi, my kitchen is short-staffed this evening and I can’t stay in the dining room very long.” 

Levi adjusted himself and crossed his arms. “You realize that I have every intention on running this review in the morning edition, right? You’re really going to run from me? Now,  _sit.”_

“I  _can’t_ ,” Eren hissed. He clenched his fists even tighter. “My people need me in the kitchen.” 

Levi coolly took a sip of his wine. “Fine. Just one thing.”

“Fine. What?”

“Your food is good. Service is lackluster. But - ” he swirled his wine in his glass.

“But?”

Levi took another swig. “Nothing. You can go.” 

“O-Okay.” Eren turned on his heels and started back to the kitchen. He glanced over his shoulder only to find Levi scribbling more notes.  _Oh, jeez._ He pushed through the double doors and knocked over half of the staff. 

“Who was that?” Jean, Mikasa, and Armin all asked in unison.

“You know that food critic, Levi Ackerman?”

The three groaned and threw their hands up, making their way back to their stations, Armin went back out to the dining room. Eren sighed and made his way back to his station, picking up with the next order. The orders started to slow down and it gave him time to think.  _Food was good, service lackluster, what else was he going to say?_  He tossed butter into a skillet. He’d heard of Levi but never saw him before.  _Definitely not what I was expecting._

“So what’d he say?” Jean said with a hint of sincerity. 

Eren shrugged. “He said the food was good.” He reached for his serrated knife and sliced through a loaf of brioche. 

“That’s good. Anything else?”

“Don’t you have a sauce to make?” 

“Whatever. Just asking.” 

Armin burst through the door and came over to Eren’s station. “Hey.”

“Hm?”

Armin opened up the leather bound case with the bill from Table 14. “Mr. Ackerman said to give this to you.” He handed Eren a small envelope.

Eren stopped his slicing and took it. On the front, Levi wrote in black ink, “But….” Eren raised his eyebrow and exchanged a puzzled look with Armin. Inside, he found a Levi’s business card with his professional contact information embossed on the front. He turned it over to find another handwritten message. 

“I bet I can cook better than you. Call me.”

“ _THAT BASTARD’S CHALLENGING ME?!”_ Eren bellowed before furiously taking his chef’s knife and thrusting it through a resting pork loin. 

**Author's Note:**

> <3


End file.
